A | B |
citizens | community members who owe loyalty to the government |
government | the ruling authority for the community |
loyalty | citizens owe this to the government |
democracy | a government in which citizens hold the power to rule |
civics | the study of the rights and duties of citizens |
representative democracy | a government in which citizens choose a smaller group to govern on their behalf. |
dictatorship | a government controlled by one person or a small group of people |
monarchy | system with a hereditary ruler such as a king or queen |
federalism | the form of government where power is divided between the federal government and the states |
separation of powers | split of authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches |
checks and balances | system where each branch of government is able to check(limit) the power of the others |
legislative | the branch of government that makes the laws |
executive | the branch of government that carries out, enforces, and executes laws |
judicial branch | branch of government that interprets the law |
popular sovereignty | power lies with the people |
legislature | a group of people who make laws |
constitution | a detailed, written plan of government |
amendment | any change in the constitution |
ratify | to vote approval of (vote yes) |
expressed powers | powers that Congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution |
reserved powers | powers that the Constitution does NOT give to the federal government but is kept by the states |
Preamble | the opening section of the constitution |
due process of law | procedures established by law and guaranteed by the constitution |
rule of law | principal that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern |
consent of the governed | American citizes are the source of all governmental power (people power) |
limited government | government is not all powerful and it may do only those things that people have given it the power to do |
compromise | an agreement where each side agrees to give up something |
supremacy clause | The constitution (and the federal government) is the supreme law of the land. |
king or queen | a monarchy is headed by these |
Congress | The legislative branch is represented by this body |
President | The executive branch is represented by this |
Courts | The Judicial branch is represented by this |
People | in a popular sovereignty power rests with this group |
Congress | this body has powers that are specifically listed in the constitutiony |
states | reserved pwers are kept by the |
concurrent powers | Powers shared by the state and federal government |
implied powers | powers that congress has that are not stated explicity in the constitution |
carries out | The executive branch ____________laws. |
vote yes | to ratify means to |
government | A constitution is a detailed, written plan of |